


Atla fic outlines that I will probably never write but still need to get out of my head anyway

by danakai_1111



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: A lot - Freeform, Airbender Zuko (Avatar), Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Long haired zuko, M/M, Noble Squad!Team Avatar, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Ozai (Avatar) Being a Terrible Parent, Ozai (Avatar) is an Asshole, Roku is a drama queen, Sort of Reincarnation, Spirit Zuko (Avatar), Zhao (Avatar) Is An Asshole, Zukaang - Freeform, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, and meditate, and the other one is where everything goes wrong, because he has time to work out his issues, but I really like that concept, but not really, don't know if that's been done before, it's a trade, one fix-it, sort of Yuyan Zuko, sort of avatar Zuko, sort of everything Zuko, sort of freedom fighter Zuko, sort of guru Zuko, sort of healer Zuko, sort of herbalist Zuko, sun priest!zuko, the one where everyone adopts Zuko, the spirits are having fun, zuko is really zen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:08:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25401373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/danakai_1111/pseuds/danakai_1111
Summary: A collection of outlines for Atla AUs that I did actually write but it's all in my head in a format that is unable to be converted into words on a page at the click of a button, so this is as best as you can get.Tell me if anyone actually wants to read one of these ideas or if anyone wants to use it, promise I don't bite.
Relationships: Aang & The Gaang (Avatar), Aang & Zuko (Avatar), Aang/Zuko (Avatar), Azula & Zuko (Avatar), Freedom Fighters & Zuko (Avatar), Jet & Zuko (Avatar), Minor or Background Relationship(s), Roku/Sozin (Avatar), The Gaang & Zuko (Avatar), Toph Beifong & Yue, Yue & Zuko (Avatar), Zuko & little sisters, Zuko & responsible adult figures
Comments: 33
Kudos: 148





	1. sun priest!zuko AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein Zuko is more smiley-smiley and less angry-stabby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just going to leave this here before I change my mind.

After the Agni Kai, instead of banishing Zuko, Ozai quietly made Zuko a Fire Sage and consequently remove him from the line of succession with an excuse of letting him learn respect and some other bs but everyone knows anyway, or at least the ones present at the Agni Kai could tell. Anyways, that is not too out of the blue because in this AU it is a practice of royalty that has since lost its true meaning and not been practised since around Sozin's grandfather or something, but anyway even then it's because the original Fire Lord was the High Sage and so this was done to keep some resemblance to the tradition and royalty would spend like a few years, probably around four, doing whatever the Fire Sages did and it's not permanent except Ozai made Zuko a permanent Fire Sage so he is removed from the line of succession.

So now Zuko is a Fire Sage in training, but I'm weak for that awkward little turtleduck so I'ma make him special. Whilst meditating with the other sages or something, maybe he glowed or something but anyway they find out that he is more connected to Agni than anyone alive and that type of connection belongs to no ordinary Fire Sage so now Zuko is a Sun Priest and a special snowflake. The working theory is that he is Agni's chosen or touched by Agni at the very least. Also, Zuko keeps his hair because his hair is beautiful and he deserves to look beautiful, not that being bald isn't beautiful-I'm looking at you, Aang-but I like Zuko with hair better because do you realise the potential? Aang running his hands over Zuko's hair, Aang braiding his hair, Aang *gasp!* washing his hair!! See? It's a wonderful thing.

When the Gaang went to Crescent Island so Aang can talk to Roku, Zuko was there too, just because I want some Zukaang and where do you expect to find the Gaang without Zuko (or vice versa)? So anyway they were talking to Shyu but then Zuko came and oops the prince just caught me committing treason nvm wait- he's committing treason too!? is an accurate presentation of the following events, which went something like this in my head yesterday night:

*Shyu talking to the Gaang, ready to commit treason*

*Zuko appears, in my head he came into the room after climbing stairs so his clothes are the tiniest bit ruffled but idk the logistics*

"Shyu, what are you doing? I wasn't aware we had guests."

"Prince Zuko!" *hasty bow and guilty look*

*Zuko just smiles knowingly like he knows everything you don't and that is kind of true, this Zuko is also more smiley-smiley and less angry-stabby because he is more zen (being a Sun Priest included a lot of meditating which he doesn't really appreciate but now it's actually quite okay and travelling, which is a godsend because the temples are boring and he's found every single place to hide after the first year) and worked out his anger and doesn't think Ozai is a "good" parent anymore. He still visits Azula occasionally and she is mad that she can't rile him up easily anymore, she still tries though, she doesn't succeed, but she is Azula and she swears she WILL succeed (she doesn't)*

"Just Zuko, I'm not a prince anymore, remember?" he says mostly out of instinct than truly minding (pls phrase better when y mind has calmed down) and is it just his imagination or did Shyu look slightly murderous when he said 'remember' (he didn't imagine it)

*Zuko walks towards Aang, stops in front of him and smiles at him gently and Aang falls in love a little bit (squee!! Zukaang moment!!!), this Zuko is very gentle, he's so soft and flowy, like he is above you mortal beings, which he kind of is so I guess it's my fault now.*

"You're here to see Avatar Roku?" *nod* *understanding smile* "Don't bother, *le gasps!!* my great grandfather might have been your predecessor, but he was also a dramatic idiot." *le even more gasps!!!*

(Please imagine Shyu's face during this exchange, it is vital to me that you see (mentally or otherwise) his face because it is priceless.)

"You only need to calm your mind *Zuko puts his thumb horizontally on Aangs forehead, touching the tattoos, idk why, it was just like that in my head. Aang's eyes flutter shut* and look within yourself." Aang felt a wave of warmth spread from the point of contact where Zuko's thumb touched his forehead, the feeling of bliss left him giddy and tingling all over.

*The rest of the Gaang and Shyu may or may not feel as though they are intruding upon a very important and intimate moment but there is no way for the author to remove them from the scene without breaking the fourth wall or exploding something and the author sincerely apologises for the intruders but everyone deserves a little bit of Zukaang in their lives so there*

"Now go." *The Gaang leaves, but definitely mention the way Aang seemed unable to tear his eyes away from the direction of the temple long after it was out of view.*

*The other Fire Sages arrive* *Zuko turns the table to them before they have a chance to question his presence he questions theirs.* "Don't be absurd, why would the Avatar be so thoughtless to willingly enter the enemy's territory."

"But Sun Priest-"

"That's quite enough, Great Sage. Even if that was the Avatar, they're not exactly here now, are they?" *Note that the tone he uses is 110% royalty and condescending in a way that makes you think it's all you and not him.* *Shyu gets away scot-free for going MIA for... however long he was gone for, going to have to check... why do I do this to myself? Anyways his reason, or rather Zuko's reason was that Shyu was the only one competent enough to think of informing him because Sun Priest ranks equal to High Sage and High Sage is higher than Great Sage, which is higher than Fire Sage and basically Zuko is still ranked higher than all of them.* *They don't even realise Zuko never revealed why he was in the room.*

And then the next time Aang sees him Zuko is being the Blue Spirit- which, let's be honest, he would totally do if he had the freedom to do so. Zuko has been Blue Spirit-ing (and by that he means doing lots of good things in an unconventional way that benefits people no matter the nation "They're just people, goddammit! Nobody deserves that!") everywhere since becoming a Sun Priest (he travels a lot, remember?), like, doesn't anyone understand that boredom is a great motivator for a lot of things that might not be logically sound? Something like wearing a mask and doing risky stunts like breaking the Avatar out of prison. Everything is exactly the same as canon except when the Blue Spirit threatens to kill the Avatar, he whispers something reassuringly and logically Aang knows that the Blue Spirit won't actually kill him but the adrenaline and the whole being captured and the blades are really sharp and he is still scared, okay. But that voice does sound vaguely familiar, like a dream he can reach but not quite touch, just kidding, don't actually put that in. And then the arrow still knocks the Blue Spirit out because why not? And then Aang carries him to safety and ZUKAANG!!! Just kidding, they don't get together yet, that happens a little later.

Unable to resist himself, Aang removes the mask hiding the identity of his rescuer. BAM! He stares at his face for a while, frozen in shock, probably, definitely not because of the fluttering sooty copper fritillaries in his stomach, had he accidentally swallowed a few? No, that's not it, he hasn't eaten since... forever, actually. And it's been a long time since he'd last seen one, hmm, he'd seen one at Haru's village, hadn't he? No, probably not it then, but they're not completely out of the question yet, just mostly. While he puzzled over that, it seemed to be beyond him that his unconscious rescuer is not quite so unconscious now. A groan of pain snapped him back to the present. He blinked, had he been staring at Zuko the entire time? Well, that would be pretty embarrassing if he was awake to see it. Not that he has anything against Zuko's face, in fact, it was quite the opposite. Zuko has a beautiful face, the admission was nothing short of the truth, or at least such is the way Aang saw it. Hmm, why hadn't he stared at Zuko's face more often? Right, people feel awkward when other people stare at their face for a prolonged period without saying anything, Aang doesn't quite understand, he personally wouldn't mind others admiring his face for however long they so desired, he would be more than happy to oblige if anyone so wished. But that is not to say he is vain, for vanity have no place in him, vanity clouds judgement and simply take up so very much space when he still has so much more he wants to see. Though he sees no wrong appreciating beauty, whether it comes from himself or otherwise, but too much and he will lose himself staring forever, though perhaps that is not such a bad thing, not if he gets to stare at something like Zuko's face. Speaking of which...

"Oh, you shouldn't get up so fast, that arrow hit you pretty hard." Aang hurried to stop him from doing something careless, like getting up immediately after waking up from being hit by an arrow with enough force to knock him unconscious but somehow didn't break the mask.

Zuko grunted before complying, lying back against the tree root in a surprisingly comfortable bed of... whatever that is. 'Huh, had Aang made it?' Aang did, in fact, make it, not that he was completely aware of his actions, being too busy contemplating the question of the sooty copper fritillaries and Zuko's face and their relation. Poor boy still hasn't figured it out, I'll try to be more obvious next time.

"Umm, thanks for getting me out."

"No problem," *silence* "can you- mind letting me up now?"

*blushing Aang!* "Ah! Sorry." *Aang scrambles to get up and let go of Zuko's shoulders, which were really nice and warm and firm and he wouldn't mind being embraced by them at all and what is he thinking? He can feel his face heating up, he hopes the darkness of the night hides- oh wait, nevermind Zuko lit a flame and that is so cool can he teach him please?* *Zuko smiles and chuckles.*

"Maybe another time." *Not a refusal though*

"You're not staying?" *pout and puppy seal eyes*

"I- Fine, I'll stay for a while." *bright smile* "I can't stay too long though." *smile drops but then Aang realises that Zuko is still going to stay for a while and smiles again!!*

*They start walking towards the rest of the Gaang, Aang desperately wants to help Zuko or at least make sure he isn't going to fall over or get dizzy or- wow, what is wrong with him today? It must be the sooty copper fritillaries that are evidently back again. Zuko gave him a look when he tried to help him so he must be fine, right? The irrational part of him that was scared when the blades were so very close to his very breakable skin still tries its best to convince him that Zuko should not be walking, what if he falls? He could hurt himself. And honestly, it might be winning just a bit despite himself knowing better but that doesn't really help ease his worries at all.*

"So, what was up with the whole... um, frogs thing?" *aww, Zuko's still an awkward turtleduck even when he's all zen and smiley*

"Oh! I need to get these to Sokka and Katara, they're sick, but the herbalist with the white cat said that if they suck on frozen wood frogs then they'll be all better. I was getting them before Zhao and his men got me, but now they're all gone..." *starts off excited then trails off downheartedly*

"Um, we could go get some more?" *cue Zuko trying his best please don't cry I will do everything I can and more* *Aang smiles!* *they head off to get some frozen frogs*

When they neared the camp Zuko once again donned the mask which is surprisingly uncracked. Aang looked at him questioningly, he shakes his head, Aang shrugs, as though that was fine by him. The silent exchange concluded as a delirious Sokka and more or less unconscious Katara came into view. A pile of miscellaneous items lay beside her, Aang wondered where they came from, but that's not important now.

"Suck on these. They'll make you feel better," he said as he puts the frogs in his friends' mouths.

"Aang, how was your trip? Did you make any new friends?"

Aang perked up, gestured excitedly to the now-masked-Zuko. "Yeah! This is the Blue Spirit. He saved me from Zhao!" Said 'spirit' waved, awkwardly.

The frogs started to thaw, and Sokka and Katara were now awake and spitting. The Blue Spirit turns away, intent on leaving quietly. That failed quickly.

"Oh, you're leaving already?" Zuko nods. "I'll see you soon then!" Zuko did not respond, instead opting to disappear into the shadows, as though he was never there. Aang hoped he would see him again soon, though. He quite liked Zuko.

And then they are at the North Pole and Zhao is laying siege and he wants to kill the Moon Spirit which is just not done and didn't he get the memo? Well, guess Zuko'll just have to do everything himself then.*Zhao picks up Tui, brags about stuff* *Zuko materialise behind him, somewhat transparent with a slight blue hue, spirit projection, sort of like astral projection. I just found out that it exists in LoK as some sort of airbending move which makes no sense? Anyway ignore that because I'm making my own thing here and it has nothing to do with that.*

"Captain Zhao." *Zhao turns around, surprised, he drops Tui* *Katara waterbends Tui back into the water or Aang airbends, either way, Tui gets back with La in the water*

"It's admiral now, Prince Zuko."

"Just Zuko, Captain, you should know by now." *raised eyebrow*

"With all due respect, Priest Zuko, what are you doing here?" *starts advancing towards Zuko, the Gaang starts to take out the soldiers discreetly, Zuko is a great distraction, Aang thinks, he's very... distracting.*

"Wouldn't you like to know, Admiral? (the admiral bit is italicised) I'll cut to the chase, you really think Agni would sit by and watch while you murder his sister?" (headcanon Agni and Tui as siblings and also Yue and Zuko because Yue is moon-touched and Zuko is all but sun-touched) *le gasps!* *everyone is surprised because nobody actually knew that Agni and Tui were siblings* *and the soldiers kneel because Agni is still their spirit and they don't want the wrath of the sun on them and it's no secret that the former Crown Prince is a Sun Priest, the strongest one they've recorded, too, not that they have many of those.* *the soldiers are tied and arrested, they go willingly, they'd rather be a prisoner of the water tribe savages than face the wrath of an enraged Agni.*

*Zhao doesn't believe him and challenges Zuko, he attacks Zuko, Zuko dodges, and dodges, and dodges, and then they're out of the spirit oasis because see how smart Zuko is?* (or I could also do an alternative where he attacks but then Zuko does something and takes away his bending because this is the spirit oasis and Tui and La are helping and Agni is pretty angry at Zhao for almost hurting his sister, but of course nobody knows that, so of course everyone thinks that Zuko is incredibly powerful and can take away others' firebending at will and he doesn't correct them, except maybe the Gaang sometime later just because it's funny, but then nobody wants to fight with him anymore and so he reluctantly gives up the ruse under the excuse that he only does it when Agni wills it, which is practically the truth but not the whole truth but nobody needs to know that but at least some people will fight him now!)

*Aang merges with La, they don't kill a lot of people this time because La isn't as angry and Aang really doesn't want to kill people so there, compromise, La will throw them all overboard but send to shore via lots of not-so-gentle waves, yes, they're still alive, Avatar.* *except Zhao, he's not quite alive, no Avatar- don't cry! He's not dead, he's just in the spirit world now. "I- didn't kill anyone?" No, he's still alive, sort of. "Oh, okay. I'm tired." Rest now, Avatar. You deserve it.* *La plops Aang back and he sways a bit but then Zuko was there and he carries him back bridal style to the spirit oasis where the others are*

(so um I changed a little detail in canon by accident because La is supposed to plop Aang back before taking Zhao so now I can't decide whether to stick with what I've got or change so it complies with canon and if so then: "What happened to Zhao?" "Hmm? Oh, La took him." "Wha- he said he wouldn't kill anybody!" "Huh? No- don't cry! He's not dead, he's just... not quite alive." "What do you mean?" "Umm... he's sort of in the spirit world now." "Okay... so I didn't kill anybody?" "No, he's still alive... sort of." "You're not a lot of help." *huff* "I'm plenty of help, I told you what happened, didn't I?" "M'kay. I'm tired." *yawns* "You should rest, you deserve it." "Mmh... you're warm..." "Avatar?... Oh, he's asleep." This all happened when Zuko carries Aang back to the spirit oasis after La plopped Aang back and went for Zhao.)

And then we can just cut there or do another scene with Zuko being awkward and trying to leave but then thinking it would be impolite and it's just really awkward in an endearing sort of way and everyone gets the sudden urge to adopt that little turtleduck. If we just cut there then: *Zuko arriving at the spirit oasis, nobody notices because he is a ninja and he has ninja skills.* *very gently sets Aang down somewhere they'll see soon enough* *even gentler caress on Aang head* *stands up* *looks up and sees Yue staring* *Yue smiling knowingly* *Zuko blushing and looking away* *Yue looks away* *Zuko 'disappears'* "Hey, look, Aang's back!" Yue exclaimed, pointing at the slumped figure near the entrance of the oasis.

"How did he get there?"

Yue looks towards an indiscriminate spot and smiles (italics please) knowingly. Nobody else sees the barest hints of a lingering shadow dematerialise as the group of children huddled around their fallen friend.


	2. sun priest!zuko AU pt 1.5

Oh and I forgot one detail. During the winter solstice at the fire temple, something else also happens and I just remembered and now it won’t leave me alone either so there you go.

_ "You're here to see Avatar Roku?" *nod* *understanding smile* "Don't bother, *le gasps!!* my great grandfather might have been your predecessor, but he was also a dramatic idiot." *le even more gasps!!!*  _

Zuko bends forward slightly, just enough to give his arms the maneuverability to reach his topknot. He tugs off the golden headpiece, somehow leaving the hair itself seemingly untouched.

“Here, this should help. It belonged to him.” Aang cradled it in both hands, as though it was something not quite fragile but sacred.

_ "You only need to calm your mind *Zuko puts his thumb horizontally on Aangs forehead, touching the tattoos, idk why, it was just like that in my head. Aang's eyes flutter shut* and look within yourself." Aang felt a wave of warmth spread from the point of contact where Zuko's thumb touched his forehead, the feeling of bliss left him giddy and tingling all over. _

Also, please see:

_ "That's quite enough, Great Sage. Even if that was the Avatar, they're not exactly here now, are they?" *Note that the tone he uses is 110% royalty and condescending in a way that makes you think it's all you and not him.* *Shyu gets away scot-free for going MIA for... however long he was gone for, going to have to check... why do I do this to myself? Anyways his reason, or rather Zuko's reason was that Shyu was the only one competent enough to think of informing him because Sun Priest ranks equal to High Sage and High Sage is higher than Great Sage, which is higher than Fire Sage and basically Zuko is still ranked higher than all of them.* *They don't even realise Zuko never revealed why he was in the room.*  _ *Nobody questions where his headpiece went either, it is assumed they did not realise or were too afraid of asking, was it even there in the morning? No, nobody wants to risk it. And if Zuko was spotted wearing a different headpiece than the one he had worn the past few years, well, nobody wanted to risk that either. Sun Priest is a very important position and Zuko being Zuko and an informal prince doesn’t help matters at all.*


	3. everything!Zuko AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The AU where I mix way too many Zuko AUs together and somehow try to make sense of it.
> 
> Alternatively, the one where everyone adopts Zuko.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea what's going on either.
> 
> link to works mentioned in the outline: [Atla Au outlines to write later](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24380845) by [KidWestHope16](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KidWestHope16/pseuds/KidWestHope16), [Cherry Blossoms](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25365562) (yes, all I did was use the time of the Agni Kai but that's the only time for the Agni Kai I've found so far so now it's canon for me) by [illrunwithyou](https://archiveofourown.org/users/illrunwithyou/pseuds/illrunwithyou) & I'll just link [muffinlance](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MuffinLance/pseuds/MuffinLance) because I might have used something of theirs (see: Zuko's long hair, etc)

Soo I had this new idea, get this, a sort-of yuyan!blue spirit!sort-of spirit!sort-of freedom fighter!guru!herbalist-healer!long-haired!adopted by various!sort-of feral!various apprentice!zuko au. Yes, all of it in one au. How it’s going to work is that first, we have the problem of the location of Guru Pathik, who will proceed to be one of the many people who adopt Zuko. Just because he got a vision that the Avatar will be his student at some point in time in the Eastern Air Temple doesn’t mean he has to stay there forever and since the distance between the Fire Nation Palace and the Eastern Air Temple is fairly big I’m just going to say that Guru Pathik travels around the Earth Kingdom passing on his wisdom before going to the Eastern Air Temple to help Aang master the Avatar state. Also, it would make sense because he is nomadic and nomads don’t tend to stay at one place for a particularly long time.

After being banished, a ~~barely~~ not-yet-healed Zuko is sent off on a ship with a ragtag group of disgraced navy soldiers who will accompany him on his search for the Avatar who disappeared 100 years ago, sounds impossible? Well doesn’t that tell you something? None of the crew members expects to return home. Zuko is still very much out of it, he does manage to catch a few important points during his rare and few moments conscious: banished, capture the Avatar, restore his _honour_. The retired General Iroh was not aware of this; when he finally caught wind of the news it was already too late.

Barely into the first week of sailing, the ship with the former Crown Prince (being banished means you’re no longer next in line right? but he should still be a prince, I think… jk I have no idea what’s going on) sank in the Mo Ce Sea after an unfortunate encounter with pirates that were definitely not hired by Zhao under the orders of the Fire Lord to take care of this little problem (I wouldn’t put it past him to do something like that, honestly I’m surprised Zuko was still alive by season 1) and resulted in the ship exploding. There were no survivors. Or at least that’s what was assumed.

Following Zuko’s untimely demise, in an act of benevolence, the Fire Lord retracted his banishment, the people lauded their Fire Lord’s kindness. Nobody questions it. Nobody suspects it as an act of appeasing the public from the loss of their Crown Prince not for the first time (Ozai totally orchestrated Lu Ten’s death).

In his grief, the Fire Lord prohibited any mentions of his late son, especially anything relating to his banishment, the citizens see only a mourning father—if the Dragon of the West was willing to abandon a six-hundred-day siege, it is only reasonable for his brother to act thus. Nobody questions it. Nobody suspects it as a way of erasing history, a cover-up for something.

Fuelled by the death of the nation’s dear prince—and he was a good one, too, they lament, or at least that was what whispers from palace servants said—the Fire Nation doubled their efforts in conquering the other kingdoms, they commend their lord for channelling his grief into strength. Nobody questions it. Nobody suspects it a ruse for riling up public support for the war, nor the possibility that perhaps there is no grief to channel at all.

The ship sunk in Earth Kingdom waters and no body was ever recovered, not from any member of the crew, nor the beloved prince.

The place where it sinks is somewhere near Harbour Town, (does anyone want a map? I could include one) the place where Sokka went fishing (S01 E12 “The Storm” for reference) where Guru Pathik was staying on his way to Taku to visit an old friend (all the old people know each other, it’s a fact of the world, or at least in atla). This old friend is the herbalist we see when Sokka and Katara got sick, but that’s not important now. What’s important is that Zuko washes ashore with a bandage still on his face and almost definitely with a fever and an infection. Guru Pathik happens to be taking a walk then, the spirits might or might not have intervened, you will never know (La likes this one, he fought against the one who harmed Tui—you cannot tell me that the spirit world is bound by such concepts like time).

So anyway Guru Pathik finds a feverish and almost-at-the-brink-of-death Zuko who is surprisingly still alive and that may or may not be attributed to his sheer stubbornness or maybe the spirits are doing their thing again, we never find out. As I was saying, what Guru Pathik does is sees smol child in need, picks up smol child and maybe adopts smol child—don’t forget this is freshly 13-year old Zuko who I headcanon as just a little shorter than average (yet another reason Ozai despise him but we are not Ozai and therefore we love this smol baby).

The aforementioned unimportant friend the guru was going to see is now important, because the herbalist is the herbalist and also a very good healer. And as much as he tries, Guru Pathik can only do so much for Zuko. He brings a mostly incoherent and unconscious Zuko with him. By chance (or maybe it’s the spirits again, you can’t prove anything though), Zuko’s dual dao blades from Master Piandao (whom the guru and the herbalist also knows and you can’t tell me those two aren’t part of the White Lotus) washed ashore with him. Guru Pathik helps him keep them (so he can be the Blue Spirit later, not that the guru was aware).

When Zuko is coherent again, about two weeks have past and it has now been a month since the Agni Kai and his depth perception is all off and how much more extra training will he have to do before he is even back to his level before the Agni Kai, which was already quite low (not very long, actually, but don’t tell him that) and what do you mean he’s on bed rest? He is perfectly (lol I accidentally typed perfection) fine. See, he can stand by hims- okay so maybe not. But he insists he is fine and does not need to be spoon-fed. ~~The cat can stay though.~~

During his recovery period, the guru recites chakras and proverbs at him, he doesn’t understand any of it. They still pop into his head every once in a while in situations where they do not help at all (the situations are all appropriate, if Iroh can see him then he’d be so proud, nvm he’ll be proud of Zuko no matter what). The guru did that when he was unconscious, too, and when he was half-conscious. So his understanding is mostly on a subconscious level, don’t ask me the science behind it, I don’t know either, find the sense in the sense when something doesn’t make sense—see, it doesn’t make sense and I’m sorry I will carry on now.

He is put on bed rest for a month, that is as long as they could manage before he was strong enough to get up and do things by himself. He tried that after one week, then overexerted himself after a day and didn’t try again until he was certain he could walk normally without getting dizzy.

The guru leaves a month into his bed rest, his parting words were: “we will meet again, Zuko.” (Zuko maintains that Guru Pathik took advantage of his weakened state when he asked for his name, they do not seem to draw the connection between him and the prince of the Fire Nation, they do, they do not care, they are enlightened and above such frivolities) And loath as Zuko was to admit it, he kind of missed the guru’s calm and stable presence and his endless lectures on chakras and their importance. That helps him work through his feelings—his anger and despair and _fear_.

Also, please note that both Miyuki and the herbalist have adopted him by then, Miyuki might or might not be a spirit, nobody knows. Not me, not you and certainly not Zuko.

The herbalist takes him on as an apprentice, he’s a diligent learner. (also, you can’t tell me that Zuko never asked Ursa about her plants either, or that she never taught him in fear of him getting curious and touching one of the more poisonous ones. Zuko is well-versed in poisonous plants in this au, not that he’d ever use that knowledge to harm someone, why would he? Isn’t it better to just know it so he can diagnose and cure it when someone inevitably gets hurt as a result of one of those plants?)

Miyuki also takes him on as an apprentice, a spirit apprentice. Not that anyone else knows, not even the herbalist and especially not Zuko—he is a clueless baby.

He stays for another half a month after he’s off bed rest ~~and completely healed~~ (please don’t mind him, he doesn’t know what he’s talking about) being the herbalist’s apprentice and assistant as well as Miyuki’s personal heater and spirit student, not that he knows about the last bit.

The night he leaves Miyuki gives him a sniff before looking at him as though saying “ _you better come back”_ but he’s not entirely sure if cats are supposed to be able to communicate so expressly but he doesn’t think Miyuki is a normal cat either but maybe all cats are like that? Either way this is his life now.

He packs what little he has (mainly clothes from the guru and the herbalist and of course the dual dao blades) and hesitates before deciding to take only enough food to last him a day or two, he can hunt for more food later if needed— ~~no he is not getting soft!~~

* * *

So now we have ticked quite a few boxes in this messy au: Zuko is now sort-of guru and sort-of herbalist/healer and almost blue spirit and definitely adopted. Also, his hair is canonically fast-growing and it has now been around two months since the Agni Kai and his hair is about the length of when he was Lee working at a tea shop? idk. Does he cut his ponytail? Does he leave it? Either way his hair never gets cut and is it too far-fetched to say that the longest points of his hair (see: the ponytail he probably didn’t cut because feral Zuko is feral) touches the floor by the time Aang wakes up?

At this point, he can go wherever really, but maybe he goes back to Harbour Town for more supplies and see if anything happened and what people think happened to him because let’s be real here, Zuko himself doesn’t know either and he is just so confused. But old people with cryptic wisdom apparently helps so now I’m going to introduce another one.

But also I want to mention that Zuko goes spiriting in Harbour Town because he found a mask and it has sentimental value and then he sees someone in need of saving and was like _oh no what do I do? They can’t see me, what if they think I’m Fire Nation- oh wait, I am Fire Nation but father banished me, am I still Fire Nation? Oh no, someone should really do something. Argh, logical thinking is overrated and plans are a lie anyway._

The people of Harbour Town get to enjoy their new spirit guardian for three days—they are very productive, in those three days they have built a shrine dedicated to the Blue Spirit where people leave offerings—then Zuko left for Makapu Village after hearing some local say something about an elderly woman who works as a fortuneteller.

Basically what happens is Zuko is lost and he thought, _fortuneteller? Why not?_ and then just left for Makapu Village. He visits Aunt Wu, who also knows the herbalist and the guru because she used to travel from town to town before setting at Makapu Village at 80 AG (I checked, it’s currently 97 AG. I read in a fic that the Agni Kai happened at the Spring Equinox— _‘Cherry Blossoms’_ —and he was born on the coldest night of winter—more than one fic—so Zuko had just turned 13 a couple of months ago).

Aunt Wu might or might not get a feeling, the spirits liked her enough to bother with her every once in a while, but mortal lives are so terribly short and they always forget to check in every so often but you can hardly fault them because they are spirits and such is the way of the spirits.

Anyways she reads Zuko’s fortune and also adopts him. He also becomes her apprentice, Meng might or might not see him as an older brother because it is canon that children think Zuko is cool, right? I mean, Little Lee thought so, so I can’t be that far off. In addition to chakras and proverbs and herbs and healing, Zuko also learns tea-leaf reading and palmistry and cloud reading and oracle bones reading and also people reading because that is essential for every fortuneteller, sometimes people don’t like the things you will tell them and you should be prepared to break it to them in a way they can accept but you should never lie to them—lying by omission is still lying.

Oh and he learns to make tea because Iroh is not here to teach him but he should still learn anyway because it is a life skill and now Zuko will offer tea to anyone because he doesn’t handle social interactions well and hot leaf juice have never failed him (I think I read this in another fic but I can’t remember which—that might be a sign that I’m reading too many fics but nevermind that). His tea is surprisingly good, he still doesn’t like drinking it though.

Zuko doesn’t stay there for too long either, but during his stay there he gets adopted by Aunt Wu and Meng too, Meng has never had a big brother and looks forward to younger-sisterhood, it sounds rather exciting (Zuko was a little scared at first but then he remembers that Azula didn’t always use to want to kill him and she was actually kind of sweet before father took over her training and they spent less and less time together).

And does it even have to be said that he goes spiriting during the few weeks he spent there? Makapu Village also gains a new guardian spirit, they worship the Blue Spirit; after all, if Aunt Wu vouches for them, they must be great.

Also, I should mention here that any town that is ever mentioned to have built a shrine (currently includes: Harbour Town & Makapu Village) for the Blue Spirit will be revisited whenever the Blue Spirit is in town because Zuko goes wherever he goes and nobody can do anything about it. He runs into the guru every so often and they share tea and onion banana juice (Zuko thinks it’s better than hot leaf juice, to be honest) and play pai sho and Guru Pathik talks chakra and proverbs and Zuko doesn’t pretend to understand even though he might actually be starting to understand. They travel together when they’re going in the same direction.

Aaaand I’m getting ahead of myself. Back to the timeline. A week after the Agni Kai Zuko is sent to sea, less than a week in he drowned but doesn’t die and washes ashore where Guru Pathik finds him. Afterwards, he stays at the ruins of Taku with the herbalist and Miyuki for a month and a half.

Then he travelled back to Harbour Town and goes spiriting for like three days. He stays at Makapu Village for a few weeks. If we give a rough estimation that might or might not include travel time because I don’t know how far everything is and travelling by flying-bison is not a good estimation, then we’re currently at about three months after the Agni Kai, which is almost the end of spring because we’re going with the Agni Kai taking place at the Spring Equinox.

Now I don’t know where he goes but maybe he can go to the Abbey and get adopted by the nuns. Yep, that’s what he’s doing now. He’s there because he’s sort of made his peace with his uncertain future after staying with Aunt Wu and so now he’s wondering and maybe he threw a dart at the map but anyway he ends up at the Abbey wondering around aimlessly and the nuns welcome him with open arms despite him looking Fire Nation because this is near the colonies and the Abbey is neutral grounds anyway.

I really had nothing else to say about this bit except he gets adopted by the nuns and- well, if you ever have another battle here then beware the wrath of the Blue Spirit and as a result, less battles are fought there and the few that still do end badly for both sides and that may or may not be Zuko subconsciously starting to tap into his spirit powers—he swears he didn’t do anything. He gets a shrine after chasing off both sides fighting on the surrounding area—what do you mean collateral damage? Do you want to be collateral damage? I can help you with that if you want (of course he doesn’t say any of it out loud, the Blue Spirit never speaks).

He learns how to make perfumes and more cures (healer Zuko!!) and can he be an honorary nun too? Please note that it is Zuko the nuns adopt and the Blue Spirit only appeared during the battle and disappeared soon after. They are not related at all (this is Zuko desperately trying to hide his identity, for some reason they don’t find out though, probably the spirits again)! Also, the nuns, too, know the guru and the herbalist and the fortuneteller and Zuko might be slightly creeped out but that’s okay because these people are nice and he wouldn’t be surprised if they know his uncle too (don’t tempt me).

I do not know how long he stays with them for. I am almost tempted to give up keeping track of time but then I won’t let me and isn’t that funny but it’s not funny and I should go to sleep I have class tomorrow but I really want to finish this and it is getting quite long and why do I do this to myself?

After that, he goes to the Fire Colonies and the people realise that the Blue Spirit is not an Earth Spirit but a spirit of justice and defender of the innocent but they still like the Blue Spirit and worship them. I would also like to note that nobody from the Fire Nation has seen Zuko since the Agni Kai except the servants who were in charge of healing him only so that people don’t claim the Fire Lord murdered his son and the Crown Prince in cold blood and the crew that was never meant to come home. Iroh was kept from him under the excuse that he will only get in the way. So nobody knows what his scar looks like and during the Agni Kai, nobody could see anything anyway because of all the fire and uproar.

Zuko finds he doesn’t quite mind if the town is Earth or Fire, he also finds himself no longer banished and heaves a sigh because he doesn’t know how to catch an Avatar and he still wants to go on Fire Nation lands because that is his and how is he supposed to help his people if he can’t even be there—that right there is the epitome of Zuko’s mindset.

* * *

At some point he goes spiriting at Gaipan, the Freedom Fighters have heard of the Blue Spirit. Jet might or might not have a crush. The Blue Spirit sees Jet, the Blue Spirit disapproves. They slowly try to ease him into the mindset that two wrongs doesn’t make a right and Fire Nation might have hurt him and his babies (Jet totally adopts all the Freedom Fighters) but they are still people and they hurt too. A few stabbings might have been involved (pretty sure I got that from KidWestHope16’s Blue Spirit AU but I’m not sure, might check later—yes I did, in their AU Blue also stabs other adults but in this AU he does not because he either gets adopted by them or does not interact with them at all). The Blue Spirit becomes an honorary Freedom Fighter (they adopt him) and gets a shrine and a room in the treetop hideout, he might or might not be smiling beneath the mask, you can’t prove anything though.

On the note of the Freedom Fighters, I want to include this headcanon from somewhere that I can’t remember (I remember now! It’s from an au outline where Zuko doesn’t join the Gaang but the Gaang joins him instead) that Longshot was part of the Yuyan Archers and his backstory in this is he is a colonial that got recruited into the Yuyan Archers but then he escaped and joined the Freedom Fighters instead.

And then idk when but Zuko also goes into Pohuai at some point and there is a forest there right? I’m assuming that he stays there for a while and befriends all the animals that he doesn’t hunt or maybe he was but then he befriended a predator animal that just brings him food all the time but sadly he doesn’t get to bring it away from the forest but he visits often.

I was going to say I don’t know what happens next but as soon as I thought that I realised I have came up with an idea of how Zuko was going to meet the Yuyan Archers. He is in the forest when they meet. The Yuyan Archers aren’t meant to be locked in the stronghold; they often train in the forest. On one such training session, they spot Zuko and was going to sneak up on him just for the lols because I headcanon Yuyan Archers as total trolls who are actually really chill and you thought they were quiet but they’re actually really loud, just in a way that you can’t understand but then you bet your… um, left lung? that Zuko will convince them to teach him how to sign.

So anyway, they were going to sneak up on Zuko but then when they did they realise he is gone and then he sneaks up on them and one of the archers (an OC that I can’t be bothered making up now, maybe I’ll use someone else’s OC, I’m too lazy for this) definitely did not let out a squeal of surprise nor did they jump out of their skin like idk, something surprising.

The Yuyan Archers adopt Zuko, he becomes an honorary Yuyan Archer too. They teach him to use a bow and how to improve his stealth—not that he needed much improvement—and also teach him how to sign. They don’t know his name, his sign-name is left hand covering the left eye (I think I took this from _The Dragon of Yuyan_ ). He sneaks into the stronghold to hang out with them a couple of times, they are no longer surprised when Zuko appears in their barracks without warning, nobody informs the superiors. Zuko refuses to tell how he got in though, they have a running joke where everyone tries to guess how he did but they never get it right. The truth is Zuko keeps changing methods so whenever they guess he just assumes they are asking about his most recent infiltration and not any of his previous, as such they have actually gotten it right a few times but nobody knows that and Zuko sincerely believes that they know he changes methods—use of phrases like ‘this time’ or ‘next’ doesn’t help matters either.

He gets a lot of cousins and a sort of dad-uncle (I might make it dad and give him an Earth Kingdom Dad and a Hakodad because Zuko & ‘responsible’ adult figures is good stuff). Actually, I changed my mind, he is getting a Yuyan dad and a Yuyan uncle in addition to his Yuyan cousins. He gets a uniform (he gets a mask instead of a tattoo but he loves it anyway) and joins their missions sometimes, never when they’re there to hurt someone though.

He will also get an Earth Kingdom Dad and Water Tribe Dad and Earth Kingdom Uncle and Water Tribe Uncle (I might or might not steal muffinlance’s OC Kustaa for this because that is a good character and I like it and again I am too lazy for this. Ooor I could just go with Pakku, idk it would be nice to see Iroh react to that and Pakku realising that he just adopted the prince of the Fire Nation and is also the Grand Lotus’ nephew who is supposed to be dead or even Bato would work).

* * *

That was all during the first year. I am desperately trying to hold on to any remnants of a timeline that I have, it’s not going very well but thanks for asking. Also, I want to talk about Zuko’s hair now, it’s been a year and it is now shoulder length and Meng definitely braids it.

Some other things that have or will happen before Aang wakes up:

  * regular visits to his herbalist grandmother and cat spirit teacher and also his tea-making grandmother and not-murderous!little sister and his nun grandmother and various nun aunts and his warrior kind-of-sisters and also his Yuyan dad and Yuyan uncle and Yuyan cousins amongst many others, they are now his family
  * most people meet the Blue Spirit, most of those who meet Zuko, who goes by Lee (because the prince is dead, how dare you) are old people who wish to adopt this smol baby
  * definitely prison breaks, if you pray to the Blue Spirit in person, you can almost guarantee that whoever you were missing will be back within the week
  * the Blue Spirit is now wanted but there are people in the army who will refuse to engage because the Blue Spirit has an aura of otherness that surrounds it (it might or might not be Zuko’s awkwardness or ferity) and they do not want to incur the wrath of a spirit
  * The Blue Spirit signs with Longshot, he doesn’t question how they know, he is merely glad that someone talks bad about Jet with him every once in a while (don’t get him wrong, he loves that idiot but that is what he is, an idiot)—this is where the headcanon that Longshot used to be Yuyan comes in.



* * *

And then we have Kyoshi Island where the Unagi decides the Blue Spirit is not food and will tolerate their presence and everyone just in awe that this guy managed to ‘tame’ the Unagi (the Unagi is not tamed, the Blue Spirit is not either, they are both feral creatures who tolerate each other, one more so than the other). Kyoshi Warriors practises with the Blue Spirit, they teach him how to fight with fans, he teaches them how to be a ninja, they’re not quite there yet but they are good—he doesn’t realise they, too have decided to adopt him.

The Kyoshi Warriors do not know Zuko (they have met him actually, he was getting supplies in town), but they still adopt the Blue Spirit, they do not care that spirits cannot be adopted, what are you talking about? Blue is a baby, have you seen him after he accidentally stayed but feels too awkward to leave? Yes, they are now adopting this little stabby-child. Here child, have a fan, we’ll make a Kyoshi Warrior out of you yet. What do you mean he refuses to wear the uniform? Well, I guess you can’t have it all.

* * *

He meets Toph and subsequently getting adopted by her because nope he’s _her_ older brother now, everyone else can get their own (Zuko does not mention that he already has more than one little sister). Toph does not understand the difference between Blue and Zuko (she does, she just enjoys messing with him), Zuko is introduced by Zuko and not Lee because he had a feeling she will be important and he shouldn’t try to lie to her.

They meet when Toph is sneaking around to hide from her parents and do her own stuff which during then was go see the badgermoles and Zuko was curious and gave a few pointers on sneaking and Toph nearly didn’t feel him and now he is not allowed to leave until she figures out how to be a ninja and sense all the ninjas. In short, she has now adopted him, Zuko just accepts, he has learned that resisting only makes it harder.

The Blind Bandit and the Blue Spirit make a very scary duo and now everyone knows they shouldn’t try anything when both are in the vicinity of each other. Of course, that just makes them try harder and sneak up on people.

The Blue Spirit is not an earthbender, they participate in the rumbles anyway, nobody dares to stop them, no when they’re winning. They slice rocks with their blades, nobody suspects the blades are heated beyond any reasonable temperature for normal blades. Nobody suspects that the reason the rocks stay suspended above ground just long enough for him to hop from one to another is the result of electrostatic levitation (not sure how it works so if it doesn’t work that way then I’m sorry, you’re welcome to correct me if you know how it actually works though).

The Blue Spirit is an unofficial reigning champion, the Blind Bandit is officially the reigning champion, not because either of them are better than the other, merely it is hard to have a spirit who isn’t an earthbender and pops in only whenever they feel like it as reigning champion.

Stable communication has not yet been established, everyone is still trying, they do not understand that the Blue Spirit answers to no one, they know the Blue Spirit is a spirit and spirits work differently to mortals and the Blue Spirit is not bound to anywhere nor anyone nor anything but they still do not understand that one does not chain down the Blue Spirit. They keep trying. They fail, again and again.

Nobody is sure whether the Blue Spirit is an actual spirit, they build shrines and worship them anyway, better not to risk the wrath of an enraged spirit. They do not notice the Blue Spirit has never killed, though there are fates worse than death.

Also, unconventional pets are a must, the number of animals Zuko befriends is… well… a lot, okay. This includes but is not limited to:

  * turtleducks everywhere (he is an honorary turtleduckling and turtleducks look after their own)
  * Flopsie (yes, Bumi adopts him too. He goes as Zuko, Bumi does not realise he is the late nephew of the Grand Lotus, or maybe he does, you never know with Bumi. Also, this from a fic outline about Blue Spirit that I can’t remember the name of either but anyways he runs messages for the White Lotus and Bumi tells him nothing but he pieces together stuff and names it the old people’s Pai Sho club in his head, he wouldn’t be surprised if his uncle is part of it, he doesn’t quite understand that the purpose of the ‘club’ is to end the war but well he tried his best and at least he knows what they’re doing—sort of.)
  * the Unagi (well the Unagi tolerates him, so that’s something)
  * platypus bears
  * pygmy pumas
  * messenger hawks (he will steal all of yours and make sure you never touch another one if you do not provide them will proper care)
  * komodo rhinos
  * badgermoles (remember how Toph was going to see them when they first meet, yeah they went together)
  * ostrich horses that he totally did not set free because their owners were abusive or neglectful or simply a terrible human being
  * catgators (he definitely went to the Foggy Swamp and does not get a vision except he does but then he hit his head in total Zuko fashion and forgets all about it until he meets Aang again and the vision is the one where they do the Dragon Dance with Ran and Shaw)



I want to put Bosco but I don’t think he goes to Ba Sing Se or maybe he does but I’m not sure how that would work and anyway Bosco is totally a spirit like Miyuki and is just having fun being pampered. So now he’s going to Ba Sing Se as well. He totally messes with the Dai Li, they’re still unsure whether or not to classify him as spirit or annoying nuisance. A small number of citizens start praying to the mysterious Blue Spirit.

The Blue Spirit, enactor of justice, defender of innocent and protector of animals gains more fame, he is getting closer to ascending into full-spirit status, he just doesn’t know it. At the moment he is kind-of-not-really because he still has mortal ties and all that stuff and that stops him from becoming like Yue and the Painted Lady and all that stuff actually I don’t know what I’m talking about.

So by the time Aang wakes up, Prince Zuko was long dead and Zuko has a gazillion adopted family members that may or may not know or even be aware of each other (if it’s an old person you can bet your… left kidney? that they do). The Blue Spirit is also a renowned and beloved spirit in all nations (I headcanon that not all Southern Water Tribes live at the south pole, some of them live closer to the Earth Kingdom and goes island hopping every so often). He also has been to practically everywhere and knows everyone, some as Zuko and some as Lee and some as the Blue Spirit.

He joins the Gaang at some point, as Blue Spirit and Zuko, separately. The Blue Spirit still rescues the Avatar from Pohuai Stronghold, nobody suspects their honorary Yuyan with the scar over his left eye. There were no casualties.

When the Gaang meets the Freedom Fighters, the Blue Spirit is there too, the Blue Spirit has a what there?! (in my head it was Sokka who said that after Jet mentions that they have a shrine for Blue in the treetop hideout) Jet does not blow the dam, he was going to but then Blue was there and Blue just looked at him like that like he is better than that and then Katara and the Gaang came and too many attractive people is confusing Jet’s heart and I’ll just stop now.

The Blue Spirit accompanies them on parts of their journey to the north pole. If he follows then he can meet Pakku and get his Water Tribe Uncle but then I sort of can’t decide so I’ll just leave the option here for now. The Blue Spirit disappears and reappears sporadically and the Gaang can’t do anything about it. _“Blue’s a free spirit! We shouldn’t try to chain them down with us.”_ – definitely Aang at some point when Sokka or Katara inevitably complains.

When Zuko joins them to teach the Avatar firebending (still not sure how much of canon is going to change so I’ll be purposely vague), they do not know he is the Blue Spirit and he doesn’t tell, Toph may or may not be having fun. Aaand I won’t go on because this actually turned out longer than I intended.


	4. modern au where everyone is 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> an incredibly self-indulgent fic idea that sprang from my need for a modern au, tall Aang, angst, Toph and Yue bonding (I'd like to think they would be great friends and be awesome together) and zukaang.

In which I mess up everyone in atla's ages, etc. and throw them in modern setting but that's not enough and I have to get them together somehow so they are all in the same year (well, most of them I think?) at a boarding school because we so rarely see adults in the actual show so I thought why not? And it's sort of like a rich private school and since we have ppl from royalty we can auto-assume them as rich ppl and then the rest can be smart and hardworking students who got a scholarship or maybe their parents got connections higher up. Anyway, so that would make Katara and Sokka twins, and the same for Azula and Zuko.

Actually, let me start again, that's kind of messy.

So, what we've got is everyone I deem necessary from atla in the fic, then I mess with their ages, so now most of them are the same age, which let's put at 16. Next, I want a modern setting, so most of them have never met and don't know each other. But then, I decide to add more, because how are they going to meet??? So anyways I had this brilliant idea that they all go to this private boarding school where you only go home in the holidays or due to special circumstances. *cough cough*

And then I thought, how to include stuff from canon like the amazing turtleducks and Appa (Appa is Aang fluffy big white dog and Momo is a Siamese cat probably) and all the bending, etc. so I chose four individuals and let them retain their memories and bending: Zuko, Aang, Toph and Yue.

Reasoning: they are spiritually touched/the spirits of each element chose them / I just felt like it.

And then I decided that I will also have myself some Zukaang just cause but I might do one without Zukaang as well but what am I talking about? I am getting ahead of myself, where will I ever find the correct drive to finish even a single actual paragraph? Exactly.

Now we got the universe background sort of sorted right? Also, please note that their memories end about one month after the comet after they’ve finally got everyone to stop fighting and made sure no one is in immediate risk of dying, in other words after the war actually ended because even though it might have been the climax it did not end with Ozai, don't ask why they don’t have any memory after that, they might have died they might have not, the spirits might be having fun. Yue was watching everything from the spirit world, she's awesome like that.

Now we get to the really fun bit: roommates!!! No, Zuko and Aang were not roommates, they might be later though, if I'm feeling it. The reason being that Aang is a new student, he's on a scholarship which I think would make sense considering he's somewhat of a prodigy what with mastering all four elements at age 12 and isn't that crazy? Where were all the adults? But I think Yue and Toph would be roommates.

Anyways Zuko's roommate is Jet, he along with a couple of other kids are orphans here thanks to some charity foundation that sponsors a program and the name 'Freedom Fighter' definitely appears somewhere. Aang's roommate is Sokka. I'll do a list somewhere later. At the moment I've also got Katara & Suki, Azula & Mai and Ty Lee & some Kyoshi Warrior. Aang and Katara and Sokka are childhood friends by the way.

I really don't know how to do this in an orderly manner so I'll just stop trying now and try to get everything down.

It was going to be mostly Zuko-centric but now I'm having second thoughts and I'm not sure how I feel about that but I've mostly got Zuko's backstory down.

Ozai is still a terrible human being and should never be let near children, not anyone's and especially not his own. He's an abusive and absentee father. Zuko and Azula's relationship is a little better here but while Azula won't antagonise him for fun, she will throw him under the bus if it means getting out of trouble, otherwise she wouldn't do anything to purposely hurt him. Zuko, armed with memories which are his despite not belonging here at all is way more attentive to his family this time around and tries more with Azula.

Ursa tried to shield them from Ozai's abuse but she too is being emotionally abused even though Ozai has never laid a hand on her (too much trouble to cover up). Zuko's injuries, on the other hand, can easily be explained as him being clumsy and adventurous and Azula, seeing Zuko's example, tries her hardest to stay in Ozai's good graces like in canon, but that's still emotional abuse. When it became apparent that Azulon, Ozai and Iroh's father was not going to pass the company to Ozai despite him being more actively involved in the company's ins and outs, Ozai manipulates Ursa into helping him change the will or something.

Azulon, who was suffering from old age or a terminal illness because this is supposed to be a lighter AU of canon couldn't do anything and didn't know about it because he died peacefully in his sleep. Iroh never really wanted the company after the death of his son in a car accident all these years after the death of his wife during childbirth and so didn't challenge him and just kept minding his tea shop.

This is important information because Zuko has zero funds and work there during the holidays so he can pay for stuff he wants especially since Ursa commits suicide when Zuko and Azula were 9. She went into their room and hugged them both before she was gone forever in the morning. Lu Ten used to hang out with them before he died because Azulon would have family gatherings every once in a while and Zuko was kind of close with him because he's really cool in Zuko's eyes and Ozai can't do anything about him hanging out with Lu Ten when grandfather was there.

And then when Zuko and Aang meet they tiptoe around each other for a while because they meant so much to each other and they would be devastated if the other doesn’t remember them. Aang searches out for Zuko after they bumped into each other the first time and Zuko was so shocked because he never expected to see Aang again and Aang has been looking for him for so long. Zuko did the only thing he knew, he ran—not before mumbling a mostly inaudible apology though, he does have some manners.

When they finally talk to each other they do not approach the taboo subject of their memories of their ‘past life’ at first because neither wants to know if the other doesn’t remember them. An offhanded comment finally breaks the ice and they are absolutely delighted, also Zuko definitely tells Aang “I can’t believe you’re taller than me now” because Aang is definitely the tallest out of everyone if they were all the same age.

Meanwhile we have Toph and Yue who have been making inside jokes since day one. Toph is still blind, she still has her bending though, they all do, it’s just a little more muted and they learned to hide it pretty early on. Yue is also a waterbender now because it is canon that she can waterbend after turning into the moon.


	5. unconventional airbender!zuko au

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> alternatively the not-avatar avatar Zuko au
> 
> link to work mentioned: [Flow like Fire](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23732584) by [aleangreenmeanmachine](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aleangreenmeanmachine/pseuds/aleangreenmeanmachine)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I spent way too much time on this than I probably should have.

Another Zuko AU, yay! (did that sound sarcastic to you? I’m not sure if that’s meant to be there) In this AU Zuko is an airbender instead of a firebender but he’s a non-traditional and very unconventional airbender and his bending is absolutely _chaotic_. Also, he’s not aware of it at first, and nobody suspects a thing because no airbender has been born in decades—the genocide of the air nomads was not the work of a single day, they and those associated with them were hunted mercilessly throughout the years of the war until they just stopped showing up.

In this AU, air nomads are all airbenders (pretty sure this is canon) but not all children of airbenders are airbenders (pretty sure this one’s not canon) and most of the non-bending airbenders’ children become air acolytes instead, some of them chose to assimilate into other cultures though, the air nomads are accepting and don’t mind at all because they’re just that awesome :) . However, anyone from any nation is capable of producing an airbending baby, but the chances of an airbending baby are higher if you are descended from one.

They say that every airbender is chosen specifically and blessed by Rlung (my take on the spirit of air/winds), and before Sozin’s Comet first time around most people have a tradition of getting their baby checked with an air nomad if they’re born with grey eyes because an airbender can recognise another airbender because they are canonically the most spiritual out of the four nations and also other reasons. They can also not have grey eyes though, it’s a rare case but has happened before (I included this solely because I like Zuko with bright golden eyes too much to change them), but airbending babies are pretty recognisable and they start bending early, especially if they are exposed to airbending.

If the baby is an airbender, they would give up the child to be raised the way of the air nomads but that is not to say they just abandon the baby, they can choose to raise the baby themselves because the air nomads are not baby thieves but that is not recommended because raising an airbending baby without being an airbender is a very challenging task, you can visit your child if you want.

Not everyone takes up that offer though, mostly because of the misconception that the child ceases to yours the moment they turn out to be an airbender. That’s not always the case and lots of air nomads grow up with relatives that are not airbenders and share a close bond with their family—their families are also more likely to become air acolytes.

Also, the air nomads don’t all stay at the temples, only the young ones and older ones stay there.

After you get your mastery tattoos you are allowed to travel the nations without supervision and come back to the temples whenever you like because they are nomads and I feel like they would be everywhere (because air is everywhere and the nations tend to live where their elements are—water the poles and the swamp, earth the land and desert, fire on volcanic islands, technically they did air on top of mountains but then the air is thinner there so idk and I know they’re based on Tibetan monks but still, this is my au and I’ll do whatever I want), which would also be a reason why Sozin would want to kill them, because they have so much influence and there would be no conquering them because you cannot cage air and expect it not to slip away at every chance.

And that should be more than enough made up lore and we should actually get to the real plot because- who am I kidding there is no plot, only concept. Now, back to the actual _concept_ , we have Rlung, who has more or less given up on blessing his children in hopes of preserving the culture of the air nomads because all his children keep dying and even spirits feel loss and even though it occurred over time, it still hit him hard and now he cannot bless each of his children as he wishes in fear of causing their demise.

But not all is lost, for even though there are no more air nomads (they carry an airiness to them that you can just barely tell when the air around them respond to them and seem to sing with them because Rlung loves his children), most of the air acolytes managed to escape and assimilate into the other nations and even though their bending children are murdered one after another, the non-bending ones are sometimes spared, because if you can prove that you are not descended from one and that the baby was all Rlung’s doings then there is nothing they can do about it either.

Each generation the number of airbending babies grew less and less and the little that managed to survive into adulthood are nowhere near the strength of a proper air nomad, some say that Rlung has grown weaker with each loss of his children, the winds do not blow harsher, for Rlung is a peaceful and benevolent spirit, but they become deadly still at times, sailing is no longer a reliable method of transportation.

Eventually, Rlung stopped blessing his children, and they grow up feeling as though there is something that should be there that isn’t and he weeps for them. Such is the case of Ty Lee and similar individuals.

And I’ve gone off-course again. That wasn’t supposed to happen, I’m sorry, I’ll actually start on the concept I was going to write about now. … I swear I’m not kidding!

The spirits do not merely live in the solitude of the spirit world, they watch the mortal plane, too, and interact with each other as well.

Agni, Spirit of the Sun and Patron Spirit of the Fire Nation is regretful for the actions of his children, but they are still his children and he loves them even at their darkest, so he does nothing.

He does nothing when Rlung’s children start dropping off one by one.

He does nothing when Rlung’s children are forced to abandon themselves for their survival.

He does nothing when Rlung weeps for his stolen children.

He does nothing when Rlung decides to stop blessing his children.

He does nothing but stands by and watch as his children burn Rlung’s to ashes. He can only offer a hand in regret.

Until Rlung started to fade. He had given up hope.

Agni may not be able to lay a hand against his children, misguided as they are, but he can still do something. He will not stand by and watch as his brother wastes away.

He offers Rlung the only thing he can, the only thing that will keep Rlung’s spark from diminishing. He offers Rlung a child.

And so, on the coldest night of winter, the night of a new moon, a child of Agni, given to Rlung was born. He was born without a spark, but he was born with the blessings of Rlung.

I… don’t know what to say. That was supposed to be an outline but then I actually wrote it and I might actually have to write this now. Oops. Anyways, so you can probably guess that the child is Zuko, that would explain Zuko’s bright golden eyes because in a way he is Agni’s chosen.

This would also explain why Zuko is a ‘weak’ firebender and slow bloomer—because he isn’t a firebender! Surprise! (not) And anger might (sort-of) help fuel fire (the secret to firebending is _passion_ , but we’re not talking about firebending, this is about airbending), but airbending does not work like that at all. Also, he doesn’t realise that he is an airbender because have you seen this kid? He didn’t realise that Ozai didn’t want him back despite being given an impossible quest—I mean, I guess there was that one time where Ozai saved him from drowning, but then Ursa was there and I like to think that he wasn’t born a total monster and he actually like Ursa and at least tried, however minimal, to be a father but in the end he still turned out to be a bad guy so I guess we can’t really go by a single past deed to define a person.

In this AU I will have Zuko being closer to Ty Lee because they are both Rlung’s children and subconsciously or not, they can tell. Azula tries to keep them apart by pushing Mai and Zuko together though, to be fair she thought that it would be a good thing because Mai likes Zuko and Zuko doesn’t like Ty Lee and Ty Lee doesn’t like Zuko and why are they even close? And anyways her logic goes: Mai likes Zuko, Zuko doesn’t like anyone, Mai and Zuko can be together, Mai will be happy and Zuko will have a girlfriend, then Azula can have Ty Lee to herself again because Azula is Azula and Azula doesn’t share; Mai never really belonged to her anyway.

And because Ty Lee and Zuko are such great friends, of course they cartwheel and study _chi_ together. Ty Lee and Zuko are the ultimate ninja duo. Azula is not happy and she doesn’t understand—no she is _not_ jealous!

Of course, that doesn’t last, nothing good does, you will later find—just kidding, some does, not all, but some.

So, how does Zuko firebend if he’s an airbender and how does he not realise? This is inspired by _Flow like Fire_ by _aleangreenmeanmachine_ (Zuko gets a baby sky bison he names Dumpling in total Zuko fashion) and what they did was that Zuko finds out he can manipulate fire with airbending but that’s not exactly what happens here, in this AU, Zuko was meditating with a candle or any source of fire, or maybe just dispelling any fire, and then he ‘bends’ the fire.

The airbending is completely accidental and since he’s never seen airbending he doesn’t know what it’s like, which excuses the lateness of his bending (because I need an excuse to excuse something I made up for this AU, you know the one where I said that airbenders bend early? and then I added that it happens quicker with exposure just for this).

He doesn’t know what firebending feels like, and firebending comes from the breath, which is quite similar to airbending and he doesn’t really understand what his instructors say either, he thinks he’s just dumb but that’s because they’re talking about an entirely different thing. He thinks that everyone firebends the way he does, they do not.

He can’t conjure a fire, he just thinks he’s a weak bender, but he finds he can keep it alight; he manages with jewellery containing little flames that he keeps alive at all times and wears at various body parts at all times. It’s hard work and he had to relight them several times a day and accidentally burns himself a lot when he started but he manages and eventually it’s so instinctual that the fire burns even when he sleeps (all this practise makes him very good at control but of course he still thinks he’s weak).

Things are no longer so simple anymore, with Cousin Lu Ten dead and Uncle Iroh absent and Grandfather Azulon also dead and mother simply gone, even with his newfound ‘firebending’ Zuko finds himself at a loss.

Azula has gotten crueller and bolder without mother to soften father’s teachings and expectations and every time they play together her games get more dangerous and less fun. She stops laughing with them and smirks every time she sees their fear.

Ty Lee and Zuko talk less and less, they pretend they do not see how it hurts them both, the winds are not supposed to bow to any lord. They love Azula still, but they fear her more, and the threats are no longer uttered with the barest hints of a smile but the malice and sharpness of a knife. And so they bow.

Mai loves Zuko, she truly does, but even she can see that Zuko does not, will not love her. Not when she plays such a significant role as the cause of his misery.

She tries to loathe him for not returning her affections but find herself unable to.

She tries to loathe Ty Lee for turning Azula’s wrath towards her but find herself unwilling to.

She tries to loathe Azula for making them all as miserable as her but find herself unqualified to.

Not when she herself did much of the same, perhaps not to the same extent, but the facts remain she, too, makes those around her miserable with her behaviour. And in the company of her empty room she allows herself the confession that it is she who understands Azula best—Zuko knows Azula and likewise does Azula, but he does not understand her, nor she him, she quietly notes—though even then she could not explain all her actions. And it is not her who Azula desires most, for they are too alike, and there can only be one of the same. So she, too, bends to Azula and alters her dance to resemble the others.

I’m sorry, this is not much of an outline anymore and maybe I’ll just write the entire fic here. Just kidding, that’s never going to happen. To keep myself from doing that again, I shall stop narrating and start listing points and events and hope that it works.

The Agni Kai still occurs and the fire burns at his flesh before Zuko can extinguish it. He is still banished with the single decree that only by capturing the Avatar can he restore his honour and return home. _But what is home now? The empty garden where mother used to feed the turtleducks with him? The empty garden where Azula used to play games that doesn’t hurt with them?_ And Zuko doesn’t know what to do. He keeps his flames alive and searches the air temples.

It took the better half of the year to search all the air temples, none of the crew questions what he does when he stays there long after their search’s yields—which is to say none. Iroh stays with the crew on the ship, leaving Zuko alone to do whatever it is he does alone in the temples. He cremates the bones of his people, he makes a monument at the bottom of the mountains, away from the temples. He grinds the bones of the enemy, the bones that are not scattered like one would expect in the aftermath of a battle, the bones that are too small to be a soldier’s, he never burns them; at the top of the temples, he releases handfuls and handfuls of grey powder into the wind, they seem to dance with the wind as Rlung finally reunites with his children after all these years.

During the months on sea, Zuko finds he still cannot produce his own fire; he keeps his flames alive and vows to never remove them until he can. He finds he cannot stand fire for the first month or so, any fire within a metre of him gets snuffed out before it can burn him, _burning flesh—white-hot pain—he cannot_ see _._

Zuko finds old air nomad scrolls in the temples and reads them, he finds airbending scrolls and read those too, he will have to understand it if he is to fight the Avatar—the Avatar would have more than enough time to master all the elements now. The scrolls speak nothing about an army, he excuses it as paranoia, but the scrolls went on and on about the philosophies of peace and balance and Zuko is confused.

Also, he visits the sun warriors and meets Ran and Shaw and then the sunstone finally hatched and I say there was more than one baby dragon in it because you know those fan arts where Zuko has tiny baby dragons all over him? (like <a href=“https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/57b9b323-beea-4a8f-b27b-51f6c1e6adae/d4tch8w-52084c46-0d63-4fbe-bd90-81b231cebccf.jpg/v1/fill/w_800,h_618,q_75,strp/dragons_zukaang_week_2012_by_marauderfan_d4tch8w-fullview.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOiIsImlzcyI6InVybjphcHA6Iiwib2JqIjpbW3siaGVpZ2h0IjoiPD02MTgiLCJwYXRoIjoiXC9mXC81N2I5YjMyMy1iZWVhLTRhOGYtYjI3Yi01MWY2YzFlNmFkYWVcL2Q0dGNoOHctNTIwODRjNDYtMGQ2My00ZmJlLWJkOTAtODFiMjMxY2ViY2NmLmpwZyIsIndpZHRoIjoiPD04MDAifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6aW1hZ2Uub3BlcmF0aW9ucyJdfQ.kjCufiTLbVOYoo76M_GPHyJCPEAgBjbbXI6ivel9_2E”>this</a> and <a href=“ https://i.pinimg.com/originals/39/1e/bc/391ebc809f34c87c1cab6f2edb360fd4.png”>this</a> and so many more) and he gets to keep one which is Druk because maybe Druk imprinted on him or something and Druk is a tiny baby dragon who he hides from the rest of the crew and Iroh may or may not know, it is never said. Also he makes pretty fire by altering the temperature of different parts of the flame which is very hard but he experiments and he is determined to get it right because Druk likes pretty fire.

He not only goes to the air temples, he also goes to the Northern Water Tribe and I’m not sure how that turns out but he lives (obviously), and the reasoning behind going there goes something like: the Northern Water Tribe is isolated, the Northern Water Tribe sustains itself, the Avatar could be there! The Avatar was not there, but he studies their waterbending anyway (see: ‘ _he will have to understand it if he is to fight the Avatar’_ and ‘ _the Avatar would have more than enough time to master all the elements now’_ ), Iroh teaches him about redirecting lightning, they do not practise it.

Aaand I cannot believe I still haven’t gotten to the actual _actual_ concept I wanted to write about. I did not realise just how much background information I came up with.

Anyways, the concept is that by the time Zuko realises he is airbending, he has been firebending his whole life and then he tries it with other elements and he finds that he can do the same with all the elements thinks that he is some twisted version of the Avatar because there is no evidence that the Avatar is even alive and wait I changed my mind Zuko does not realise he is an airbender until after he ‘bends’ all the other elements and he finally airbends at the last air temple (I’m going with the Southern Air Temple because the Western Air Temple is closest to the Fire Nation and it’s only logical that they go the closest then do a full circle). Of course, nobody realises that he was bending.

For earthbending they are at a beach or the Si Wong desert, anywhere with sand would do and I’ll change it to fit into wherever he is when it happens, I’m not sure if waterbending or earthbending happens first but if earthbending first then it would be funny because if he follows the Avatar cycle it would be air-water-earth-fire but then he went fire-earth-water-air and none of them is in the correct order and actually yes, that’s what’s going to happen.

He earthbends when he creates a mini sandstorm but that could change depending on the as yet non-existent plotline. And then he obviously experiments and at some Earth Kingdom port he asks for pointers under the guise of a colonial and then he finds that he can lift rocks! Creating fissures and the likes are a little harder but the point is that he can lift rocks… oh no is he the Avatar?

Also, he sneaks into Earth Rumbles because there is definitely more than one of those in the Earth Kingdom and that is the only place he knows of where he can study earthbenders without fighting them. He meets Toph at one of the rumbles and his reaction to Toph’s blindness is one of admiration and nobody has ever reacted like that so Toph explains to him how she ‘sees’ and gives him a few pointers because he is a ‘horrible earthbender’ (read: he is actually not that bad considering he’s not an earthbender but if you were to compare him to an actual earthbender that he could obviously be better but he’s not a total failure).

He waterbended on the ship when he was alone on the deck and he was conflicted for reasons depending on when I decide it to happen. It was actually the winds creating a mini cyclone or maybe just stormy waves but it looks like waterbending because it came out of nowhere and afterwards he experiments with water and ‘waterbends’ (this should be after visiting the Northern Water Tribe and he applies his knowledge of waterbending here) and he regulates the temperature to freeze water (he uses salt water and keep them very cold and some science thing that I can’t be bothered to go on about, I’m not even sure if that’s how it works in real life but let’s pretend it does) and melt ice. He’s not a bad waterbender as per se, definitely not a prodigy like Katara or Aang but he gets by.

He finally realises that he is an airbender when he airbends, actually _airbends_ and it just feels so _right_ because Rlung has been waiting so long for his children to play with the wind again and bending the other elements with airbending is not playing.

But then he thinks again… if he’s an airbender then why can he bend fire? (see: _he doesn’t know what firebending feels like_ ) or earth? or water? He knows that it’s sort of airbending, but then if he, the last airbender born in decades and received absolutely zilch training can do it, why didn’t the airbenders use it to better assimilate into the other nations?

He doesn’t realise that all of his airbending are incredibly unorthodox and require a great deal of control that not even master airbenders are capable of. He comes to the conclusion that it’s not normal airbending, in a way he is correct but not in the way that he thinks. Any airbender can do it, it’s just really hard and nobody ever tried because even the idea is hard if you understand airbending which Zuko obviously doesn’t.

The conclusion he comes into is that he is some twisted version of the Avatar that Rlung created as part revenge (he is the descendent of Sozin, but that doesn’t make a lot of sense because the scrolls in the air temples say Rlung is forgiving above all else) and partly to restore balance (this would make more sense if what the air nomads say about him is true, all other texts about air nomads and all those associated with them were destroyed). That is not true at all and Rlung sighs at his anomalous child but loves him all the same. Agni is glad that Rlung is recovering; he, too, enjoys seeing Zuko’s antics, after all, he is Agni’s chosen.

Zuko gets it in his head that he’s not the Avatar but still responsible for bringing balance to the world. Should he fake his death? That would make it a little easier because then he gets to ditch his crew and creepy busybodies like Zhao and he gets to go on Fire Nation grounds because a dead prince cannot breach the terms of his banishment.

A potential plotline: Zuko ditches his crew and his uncle via faking his death that may or may not have been the result of an attempt on his life (yes his uncle knows he’s still alive) just before or after they go to the Southern Air Temple; if it’s before then Zuko did not realise that nobody knows he’s alive and just goes alone to the temple and realise he’s an airbender and it’s only when his uncle goes to the temple to clean up the bones because that’s what they’ve been doing anyway that he finds out nobody knows he’s alive.

He tells uncle not to say anything, Iroh doesn’t know he’s an airbender, he thinks that Zuko finally realised that his dad doesn’t want him back—Zuko did not realise that, he’s convinced he has to end the war; he hasn’t quite figured out if that means helping the Fire Nation or Earth Kingdom yet though, he ends up helping both. He also cuts his phoenix plume and grows out his hair.

Iroh returns to Caldera after the death of another Crown Prince, Zuko provides him with a vital piece of information that will change a lot of things: Azula is afraid. He starts inviting her for tea and pai sho (Azula thinks it’s a summons and despite being an old coot she still follow rules and rules state that Iroh is Azula’s elder and she should respond in kind to a summons), Azula is much better at pai sho than Zuko ever was. She also has an appreciation for tea, or at least the potential for one, Iroh is very excited to get to know his niece and make up for his past misdoings.

Zuko travels alone to the South Pole after leaving the Southern Air Temple, he wants to practise ‘waterbending’ and see what’s left of the Southern Water Tribe and he might not be thinking straight. He’s still convinced he’s not the Avatar but responsible for bringing balance to the world.

Instead of Katara and Sokka, it is Zuko who finds Aang. At this point, he is still thirteen and nine months old (yes, I made a calendar). He was practising ‘waterbending’ and then Rlung and Agni might or might not have interfered (La was in on it too; Tui just looks at them and sighs _boys_ ).

If you want a simplified timeline:

**96 AG**

Winter Solstice – Zuko turns 13

**97 AG**

Spring Equinox – Agni Kai, Zuko is banished

End of first month of spring – arrives at Western Air Temple

Middle-end second month of spring – arrives at Northern Water Tribe, they stay for a month

Middle of last month of spring – Northern Air Temple, they do not stay for longer than they need to

First month of summer – Eastern Air Temple, Zuko meets Guru Pathik, they have a nice chat and Iroh plays pai sho with Pathik

Second week of second month of summer – attempt on Zuko’s life, he survives but everyone believes him to be dead, he goes alone to the Southern Air Temple and finds out he’s an airbender

Third week of second month of summer – Iroh arrives and sets course for Caldera after a nice chat with Zuko that reveals nothing

Middle of third month of summer – Zuko decides to go to the South Pole

End of third month of summer – Zuko finds Aang

And then Zuko brings Aang along on his mission to bring balance to the world, Aang does not say he is the Avatar because he thinks Zuko is the Avatar because he thinks that he ‘died’ in the iceberg and the Avatar was reincarnated into the Water Tribe and then the Earth Kingdom and back to the Fire Nation. Zuko thinks that Aang is an airbender who escaped and ‘figured out’ how to freeze water with airbending like he did or the spirits protected him. They are both wrong.

Or, we can do: Aang tells Zuko about being the Avatar, Zuko tells Aang about being able to bend the other elements, Aang couldn’t tell that it was all airbending because Zuko’s firebending and waterbending and earthbending have gotten so convincing. Aang teaches Zuko airbending and Zuko teaches him the other elements. They bring balance to the world together. And Zuko either thinks he’s destiny is to do it with the Avatar or help teach the Avatar.

I’m not sure how Katara and Sokka and the others fit into this but Zuko definitely brings Aang to Sifu Toph (9-year-old runaway, Zuko offers to bring her with him and Aang after seeing how miserable she is at home) so she can teach him actual earthbending because he is a ‘horrible earthbender’ but he actually isn’t so bad at earthbending or teaching it considering he isn’t one at all.

He might or might not kidnap Yue (same age as Zuko and is not yet engaged because the age of engagement is 13-16 and as a princess with a somewhat good relationship with her father she manages to put this off until 16 but that’s not happening in this AU) to help him teach Aang waterbending and Yue’s waterbending is all from Tui because she is not allowed to learn in the Northern Water Tribe because she is a princess. The Northern Water Tribe might or might not join the war just because of this but they didn’t even get the first ship out before Yue and Tui did some spirit stuff and said no, it is not a kidnapping, she went willingly and she is doing spirit-related stuff which is kind of true but not the whole truth.

He also kidnaps Azula (actually kidnaps this time) whilst in the Fire Nation because he is also a ‘horrible firebender’ and Aang needs a good teacher. Azula doesn’t know what to think, she is at a better mental state than before due to Iroh’s attention and guidance but she thought dum-dum was dead? (Ty Lee hasn’t run away yet because Azula doesn’t need that and we want her a little more emotionally stable with a little less abandonment issues). She reluctantly agrees to teach Aang, cue Zuko’s confusing but flattering compliments with no jealousy at all because it is no longer a competition to him because Prince Zuko is dead and he’s just Zuko now.

I… just realised that I have assembled Team Avatar as Noble Squad because Zuko is an airbender here and he is actually still a Prince even though he maintains Prince Zuko is dead.

Also, Zuko normally wears air nomad clothes because there are some at the temples and that is where he and Aang get their changes of clothes and get him one of the gliders but he changes clothes if they are at places with civilisation that requires other nation’s clothes to fit in. This also has potential for zukaang but I’m not sure because it seems a little gen to me but also _zukaang_ (please read in tone that implies it is the answer to all things in the universe).


	6. Roku is competent AUs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two AUs where Roku was a better Avatar, one is more angsty while the other is some wholesome fluff, both have Rozin and Zukaang.  
> Option 1: [the angsty one] [au where Roku is competent but bad things still happen] Aang is still the Avatar, Roku is still not enough, the war still happens, Zuko still ends up as Fire Lord at the end of it  
> Option 2: [the wholesome one] [au where Roku is competent and all is well] Aang is not the Avatar, the royal family work out their daddy issues, will probably be a one-shot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> inspired by [this](https://www.irresistible-revolution.com/post/622457616108535808/zukaang-au-idea-the-comet-never-arrives-during) tumblr post

**Option 1: AU where Roku is competent but bad things still happen**

  * Roku doesn’t die at the volcano
  * Roku lives longer (like until 165 years old for option 1 and more for option 2)
  * Sozin and Roku communicate
  * Roku says war is bad
  * Sozin sort of listens
  * Sozin really likes Roku and cares about him
  * Sozin doesn’t outlaw same-sex marriage (they are so gay for each other)
  * Sozin doesn’t take over the world the first time the comet came
  * He may or may not bide his time and make plans with his descendants
  * The ‘Great March of Civilisation’ is what he tells his children
  * Iroh has Lu Ten and Lu Ten doesn’t die (yet)
  * Ozai marries Ursa
  * Ursa is still Roku’s granddaughter with Ta Min
  * Sozin and Roku had a homoerotic relationship but both had a wife and kids
  * Ozai and Ursa have Zuko and Azula
  * Aang is born much later
  * can’t decide if he should be the avatar (option 1)
  * but if option 1 then it would explain Aang’s later birth
  * either way when Zuko and Aang first meet, they are at loss
  * they both feel so familiar to each other but neither has met the other before
  * they are confused
  * they eventually work it out and then ~~zukaang~~ become best friends and maybe fall in love
  * Aang once touched Zuko’s left eye and say for some reason he feels like there was supposed to be something there, Zuko quietly agrees
  * ooh plot: option 1 where after Roku dies Azulon (because Sozin is dead) starts expanding the military and navy of the Fire Nation and generally just preparing for the Great Comet to conquer not just the Air Nomads but all the other nations, don’t worry it’s not a massacre, it would be preferable if the other nations surrender but that might not be the case and they will have to be prepared for that outcome, they’ve already started but it’s stealthy work
  * Iroh and Ozai are in on this too and maybe Lu Ten also
  * those with morals are under the impression that in order to advance all the nations, sacrifices have to be made
  * they also plan on taking the avatar and locking them up, not as bad as Zhao but still a terrible fate for a 16-year-old kid
  * Aang and Zuko are both 16 in this
  * Zuko doesn’t know Aang is the avatar yet
  * two ways he find out, one where his face is burned and the other where he isn’t: he finds out about the ‘Great March of Civilisation’, maybe Lu Ten mentioned something or got drunk
  * Zuko is appalled, some part of him knows this has happened before, maybe not exactly this way but similar enough that he knows a lot of people will suffer for it
  * other way he finds out: they include him in one of the meetings, Zuko speaks out and then Ozai burns his face
  * both ways end the same except if Zuko gets the scar then they have the bitter realisation of why Aang was so fascinated with the left side of his face
  * Aang has just been told he is the avatar
  * he flies to his best friend because he doesn’t want to be the avatar and doesn’t know what to do
  * Zuko panics and tells Aang about the ‘Great March of Civilisation’ and the comet coming at the end of summer
  * they run away together on Appa to warn the other nations
  * the war still happens
  * Zuko helps Aang become a fully realised Avatar in one-year before the comet as a sort of failsafe
  * we get the Gaang together again except they are a little less traumatised
  * Azulon, Ozai, Iroh and Lu Ten either all die or jailed or just any other way to be ineligible for the throne
  * Ursa and Azula lives
  * if jailed: Azula would help them escape but Ursa tries her best to explain that people dying is a bad thing and if her father and grandfather and all the others are free then a lot of people will die



**Option 2: AU where Roku is competent and all is well**

  * Roku doesn’t die at the volcano
  * Roku lives longer (like until 165 years old for option 1 and more for option 2)
  * Sozin and Roku communicate
  * Roku says war is bad
  * Sozin listens
  * Sozin really likes Roku and cares about him
  * Sozin doesn’t outlaw same-sex marriage (they are so gay for each other)
  * Sozin doesn’t take over the world the first time the comet came
  * Sozin is a better father without the war and spends more time with Azulon
  * Azulon marries Ilah and has Iroh and Ozai
  * Azulon is a bit better of a father and doesn’t blatantly favour Iroh
  * Iroh has Lu Ten and Lu Ten doesn’t die (yet)
  * Ozai marries Ursa
  * Ursa is still Roku’s granddaughter with Ta Min
  * Sozin and Roku had a homoerotic relationship but both had a wife and kids
  * Ozai and Ursa have Zuko and Azula
  * Ozai doesn’t hate Zuko a lot because Azulon was a better father because Sozin made different decisions and was also a better father leading to him not hating Iroh because of jealousy
  * lol all the problems in the Fire Nation Royal family is caused by daddy issues
  * Azula is still a prodigy but isn’t as cruel, like, she doesn’t understand a few things but once you explain it to her in terms she understand then she will change
  * Ursa and Azula are closer
  * Azula and Zuko are closer
  * Ozai still likes Azula better but isn’t a horrible father
  * Aang is born much later
  * because the parallels if he isn’t the avatar and Zuko isn’t the Crown Prince or the Fire Lord (option 2)
  * but if option 2 then Roku being there when they first meet and knowing that their souls know each other would be nice, and it would be really wholesome and no ‘Great March of Civilisation’
  * either way when Zuko and Aang first meet, they are at loss
  * they both feel so familiar to each other but neither has met the other before
  * they are confused
  * they eventually work it out and then ~~zukaang~~ become best friends and maybe fall in love
  * Aang and Zuko are both 16 in this
  * Aang once touched Zuko’s left eye and say for some reason he feels like there was supposed to be something there because no Agni Kai this time (I could include that if we want more angst and more daddy issues which would be in option 1), Zuko quietly agrees
  * will probably be a one-shot




	7. zuzu and lala

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> alternatively the crossroads of destiny au where Zuko decides to just stop giving a damn and I have fun

So I kind of wrote this little snippet like a month or two back and I just saw it again but I don't really know if I have the drive to continue it and I'm not sure if I really like it but I'll just put a little something out here and ask if anyone wants to see it as its actual story. I've got maybe enough for one chapter.

In this one Zuko is a little more mentally unstable and we get to see the royal fire siblings and Iroh as well as Kuei and it's just, chaos and shenanigans like, nobody knows what's going on, Azula pretends she knows what's going on and Zuko just straight up doesn't give a damn. Kuei is concerned if this is regular behaviour for the youths of today. Also, Iroh isn't painted in the best light in this one mostly because Azula doesn't like him for stealing _her_ Zuzu away and Zuko is just. So. Frustrated. And. Done with all his cryptic proverbs and a little hurt that he is a traitor to the Fire Nation because no matter what you tell me I will always believe that the Fire Nation is #1 in Zuko's heart.

Below you can have a little excerpt featuring creepy Azula and freaked out Sokka and possibly—who are we kidding, let me rephrase, even more crazy than canon Zuko.

> “Knock yourself out if you want to burn yourself, Sparky.” Sokka could see the newly christened Zuko’s eyebrow visibly twitch at Toph’s last word.
> 
> “Tell me, little earthbender, do you know what happens when rock _burns_?” This time it was Azula and Sokka never wants to hear her say the word ‘burn’ ever again. Not if she makes it sound like that every time she says it—it was downright _bone chilling!_
> 
> “First, it begins to dry and harden,” Azula began. Sokka did not want to look at Azula as she explained, but he found himself unable to look away. _It was just to make sure she doesn’t try anything_ , he tries to reassure himself, it doesn’t work. What could he even do if she tries anything?
> 
> “Then, it starts to smoke…” _Wait, is that…?_
> 
> “Stop! You can’t just do that! You’ll burn yourself! Are all firebenders as crazy as the two of you?” Sokka was not panicking, thank you very much.
> 
> “Well, you wouldn’t let us out of these _things_.” Zuko replied with an air of nonchalance, though that was ruined by the utter distaste dripping from the last word. _Do they make a habit of answering for each other?_ Sokka wondered. Either way, he’s determined that they _are_ crazy.
> 
> No sane person would do what they just did. Do they _not_ understand pain?
> 
> Sokka is absolutely _done_ with those two. They can be someone else’s problem now, someone who is definitely _not_ going to be him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just FYI I've jumped fandoms again and I have no idea if I want to dive right back into atla but then again whenever I try to delay the inevitable it always ends up the same and I don't know why I try anymore. Anyways I've got like two-thousand-something words of this sitting in my drafts that I have no idea what to do with whatsoever so yeah.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [Tumblr](http://danakai-1111.tumblr.com)!


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